Weird advice for cyclical vomiting syndrome below*
*PSA incoming and Trigger warning for GI related medical stuff
I don't often share anything super specific with regard to any health diagnosis I have, that being said, I feel this is important and may benefit some folks out their having to deal with this.
Some Background: I have CSV (Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome). I have had this since I was about 5-6 years old. You can do a search and find some decent info, but at it's core its uncontrollable nausea and vomiting that happens in a cyclical fashion. For some folks, they have a couple days every month or so they are sick, for others its daily. At this point in my life I am in the latter category. I am greeted each morning around 6am as if I am either pregnant again or have food poisoning. I take medication daily, but often still struggle and is the primary reason I work for myself and from home 99.9% of the time. I have had to put off cervical spine surgery I desperately need, because we can't guarantee no vomiting while healing from surgery. All of this to say, it's pretty bad and this is one of the coping strategies I use to help get through these 'episodes'. Often it keeps me out of the hospital. this is a horrid disease, and it flat out robs you of your time and your life.
Now on to why I am posting this;
I came across a post from someone asking for help with this as they were newly diagnosed. rather than just telling that person, I thought I could share here and maybe help more folks. So, if you have CVS and you don't already do this, try it next episode.
During the an episode, or if you're trying to head off/abort an episode - Try a SIT or LAY DOWN in a very warm/hot SHOWER. I do not recommend a bath, because, well... I'll just say it - you can puke in the bath water. There, I said it. Sorry not sorry. Just sit or lay as if you're taking a bath, or like me I lay completely down with my knees bent justa bit.
The hot showers help with the freezing/sweating your ass off phase (prodrome), and also if your in the vomiting/retching phase it can help ease those symptoms and feel better when your body has been tensing up to retch so much*.
I take my abortive medication and then lay in the shower which helps give the meds the time they need to work, usually 45 minutes.
*you can add some citrus or sweet smelling bath salts the warm water will activate. Since certain scents are good for nausea it adds another layer to keep your tummy at bay. You'll need to experiment to see what works for you, but I use by Dove's Mango and Almond/ Dr. Teals Cherry Almond the most, but the bath balls last longer.
This shower trick has been talked about if you've consumed too much weed and get CHS, but it's not talked about so much if you have CVS. If you have CVS, it's not really your gut that is to blame, it's mostly neurology. As a neurological disorder it responds to stimuli like a hot shower and thus at least dims the nausea. This isn't to say you may be in and out of the shower, but it does help some folks and give at least an island of relief.
And don't be afraid to put a towel under your head, and make yourself as comfortable as possible. I have been dealing with this for nearly 50 years, and only recently started making a pillow out of a towel and it's a game changer.
Also as a final note- tankless water heaters are a good investment as they allow you to lay in the shower long enough to help abort an episode.
